A court heard that the Newcastle United midfielder had knocked his French team-mate Ousmane Dabo out during a row at Manchester City’s training ground on May 1 2007.

Barton, 25, had been due to go on trial at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court accused of causing actual bodily harm but changed his plea to guilty after Judge Mushtaq Khokhar indicated that he would impose a suspended sentence.

His admission averted a trial that was expected to see former England captain Stuart Pearce - who was City’s manager at the time of the assault - give evidence.

Barton - who was sent to prison for six months for assault and affray on May 20 after a violent attack on a man outside a McDonald’s restaurant in Liverpool last Christmas - and Dabo were both playing for City last May.

Dabo, 31, has since moved to the Italian club Lazio while Barton was sold by City to Newcastle United shortly after the incident.

Prosecutor Richard Vardon told the court that the attack on Dabo was an “explosive combination of football and violence”.

The pair squared up to each other after a simmering row during a training session, the court was told.

Feeling intimidated by Barton, Dabo was said to have pushed his shoulder with both hands only to be punched in the head.

The Frenchman fell to the ground and lost consciousness but Barton, of Widnes, Cheshire, continued to reign down blows on him while lying on top of him, Mr Vardon said.

Dabo was treated in hospital for the affects of head trauma, an inflamed eye and bruised eyelids following the attack.

Excerpts from a victim impact statement read to the court told how the Frenchman suffered headaches for three weeks and feared he would suffer permanent damage.

However, he was told that he would make a full recovery from his injuries four days after the attack.

It was the third time Barton has appeared in the dock this year.

Just 10 days after being jailed over the Liverpool incident, he was brought back to court accused of ripping out a taxi driver’s radio last March because he would not wait at a McDonald’s drive-through while Barton went to get food.

He was found not guilty of vandalising the taxi after a trial at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court. His cousin, Joshua Wilson, 19, admitted doing the damage.